Zero-length launcher



July 15, 1958 V. B. BERTAGNA ETAL ZERO-LENGTH LAUNCHER Filed June 22, 1953 2 sheets-sheet 1 July 15, 1-958 lv.|3. BERTAGNA ETAL ZERO-LENGTH LAUNCHER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 22, 1955 eine 2,843,020 y ZERU-LENGTH LU'NCHER 'Victor .B. .Bertagna -and- John ll. fPfarr,1IngleWood, Galif.,

tassignorslto Northrop Aircraft, 'Inc.,lHawthorne,'Calif.,

"acorporation of California Application .lune 22, 1953, jseral'No. 363,184

V2 Claims. (Cl. .S9-1.7)

^ This invention relates to apparatus for launching and V.specification are of the type commonly. known as ",jatof Thelaunching of-a missile from a zero'length-launcher .isacc'omplished by rockets directly attached to the missile, .rockets so utilized provide the missile with'a'ddition'al lthrustoraboost during its initial ight period, i. e. from ythetimetherockets are ignited `until theyha'veexpended their energy and the missile has attained.- sufficient llight .fspeedfto renderits ycontrol surfaces effective. .Y After the rockets .have .expended ,their .energy'ithey ,are ejected in ra manner .disclosed in cogpen'ding ".U. S. V'applications y.1f6l,542.and 361,544, :datedlune 15 '.1'9'5/3. l .Atmissile .theoretically .travels .a predetermined course f during its initial .flight .period which islext'remely critical, failure tor.follow vsuch a course-will materially firiiluence z-itslfuturebehavoir which .may .proveLdisastrousjf Yit is notablentoright itself .in a .later phase of its flight. l j he course followed during 4this pe'riodmayY be .likened y.to,that.of;a..projectilerlired.from a.gunasthecontrolsurfaces are ineffective at this'timeduetothe missils .relativefslow air speed. Thepredeterminedcourse-fis .tdeter-mined rby .the angle at .whichzthe :launching .equipment Lis positioned-'and thefverticalLcomponent `of rocket-thrust. Also-thepredetermined. coursemaybe materially affected tif .armissile.doesnotseparate cleanly from..its launching y 7equipment.or-if;unsymmetrical thrust forceszare applied,

.eitherfof the later defects rmayzresultin adeviationrfrom fwhichta missile may notrecover. Y

In 'using presently knownlaunching equipment :consid- Lerable,l diiculty -and delay'is Yexperienced .at the tirnea ...missile istransferred .from .its transportation. gear .tto .its @launching equipment at 1 a launching-V site. 'Withpresently 'fknown equipment thisoperation isftime Vconsumingfre- ".quirin'g 'extensive 'personnel Landauxiliaryiequipment, rsuch fas, especially constructedfski'ds, block'and tackles, fand fete, In'-accordance vwith theV Apresent `invention r-a #missile Accordinglyit is an `object of thejpresentinvention j j'to provide alauncher'fo'r amissile, or'theilike,-in"which initial non-symmetricalrocket thrusts, if present, will not aect the'missiles initiaLpredetermined course.

' j, Another object is'to. provide'a launcher for amissile,

Y V for Lthelike, having support'members which permit clean "separation 'of/'the .missile from itselauncher.

" v Another objectis'togprovide a launcher for-a missile,

atent vin a zero length 4launcher .constructedlasdiselosed fin Vthe -present invention.

'.Figure '2 .is aside view ,of the .launchergshownin'E-gure 1" but in .afhorizontal attitude.

.Figure 3 ,is .a .side .view of the ylaimcher `shown .in vFigure i1. in1its1launchingattitude.

Figure 4 is Aa side lviewfo'f ,the launcher v.similar .to Figure 2, the ligure yalso .shows ,missile Ytransportation equipment and illustrates the .manner .of .transfer atea launching site. y

Figure .5 is .a front lview of .the launcher ,shown :in Figure lin its ,launching.,attitude. u

Figure 6 Yis afragmentary \view ,ofthe launcher :viewed .from .the .line .6-6' of Figure :5.

Referring to `the .drawingsfor a .detailed description .of a preferred embodimentzof vthe -fpresent invention, `Figure 1 shows a pilotless missile .lzcomprising afuselage .2, a .pair ,of vsweptback wings 23,. and: a, rudder. 4, supported in azero length launcher 5. Attached to-eachfside-of -the fuselage, .approximately opposite themissilescenter of;gravity, isa pair vof vrockets 6l (only :one .being tshown) which are adjusted prior tolaunchingto lprovide `desired Vdirectional thrust in a manner ,presently disclosed.

Thelauncher comprises a supporting base 7,11'aving .a relatively large .horizontal plane surface t8, fthe base may be-a concretefslabor if themissile'is tolte launched from a ship `it may' be aportion o f the fships deck. Securedto the base 7, by means -olf-,anchor ,bolts or Vthe like, are two forwardsupports 9 Vandan-aft,support .10 adapted to support 'a triangular frame assembly 1v1. `The two forward supports ,-are -gener-allyfof pyramidal icon-` guration having parallel verticall sides facingeach other when in their .assembled position on `base 7. :'lhe forwardsupports .are locatedan equal distance onl each-side of a line ,A-A extending longitudinally with -respect to base 7 and are Iprovided .with hearings. lf2 at l.their apexes, the supports .are furtlierflocated'so .thatlfthe axes of bearings 12 coincide with lawcomlnon line which is y.parallel to surface 8 and jat right angles I.to IneA-A isosceles triangle in which members-f13.form fther-equal sides of the triangle and -shaft 14 its base. The end-portions Vof shaft 14 extend beyond the ,base portionofthegtriangular frame assembly, Atheseend ,portions constitute trunnions 17 which are Aspaced so ,that .they -seatthemselves in bearings A12, bearing. caps llilrnaintainthe trun-V nions in their respective bearings. Positioned between theV adjacent ends of the sidemembers 13 is the.aft iittin-g I15 which is also symmetrically'locatedin a-j longitudinal direction with respect to line A-.-,A.

The aft fitting is U-shaped having plates 19 constituting leg members which extend generally in the plane of the triangular frame assembly a short distance beyond the adjacent ends of the side members. In the lowered or launching position of frame 11, shown in Figure 3, plates 19 contact the base portion of the aft support and span its upwardly extending leg portions, the fitting 15 and accordingly the frame 11 are maintained in this position by means `of a removable pin 20 which passes through aligned apertures in the leg portions of the aft support and plates 19. Also positioned between plates 19 of the aft fitting is a missile support 21 mounted to pivot on a pin 22. The missile support extends slightly above the top edges of plates 19 terminating in a cylindrical end 23 adapted to fit in a recess formed in fitting 24 of the missile. The missile support is maintained in a fixed position, shown by solid construction in Figure 2, prior to the launching of a missile by means of a shear pin 25; upon the launching of a missile, pin 25 is sheared allowing the support to rotate toA a position, shown by dotted construction in Figure 2, at which time its pivotal movement is arrested by thrust block 26.

The missile arm support assembly 16 comprises a truss like member fabricated from steel tubing and machined steel fittings. rigidly secured to a tubular base member 27, the axes of all members lie in a common plane and are positioned so that they form two equilateral triangles equally spaced on each side of a line which is perpendicular to the axis of member 27 at its midpoint. Rigidly secured to and extending beyond the adjoining ends of members 28 is a pair of forward missile support arms 29, the free ends of alms 29 terminating in steel machined fittings 30 adapted to mate with a surface of missile support fittings 31 located equal distances on each side of the longitudinal axis lof the missile near its center of gravity. The rigid character of the missile arm support assembly is further enhanced by a tubular member 32 extending between the adjoining ends of members 28, also numerous gusset plates placed at the intersections of the various tubular members comprising the assembly. The assembly 16 is pivotally mounted to the triangular frame assembly, adjacent its base portion, with base member 27 extending parallel to shaft member 14. Plate members 33 and 34 secured to base member 27 of the arm support assembly and the frame assembly, respectively, together with hinge pins 35 provide means for pivotally mounting assembly i6 so that it may pivot between a first or pre-launching position, shown by solid construction in Figure 2, `and a second position shown by dotted construction which it assumes after launching. The pre-launching position of the missile arm support assembly is determined by the location of missile support fittings 24 and 3l, its angular position being adjustable so that fittings 39 mate with missile fittings 31 by means of an adjusting screw 36 and a tiedown member 40, its second position -being determined by a crash pad 37, alternatively its angular movement may be cushioned and arrested by a conventional pneumatic or hydraulic snubbing device (not shown).

The triangular frame assembly 11 serves as a missile storage and transportation fixture as well as a component part of the launcher. Accordingly a missile is placed on the frame assembly at a convenient time prior to the launching operation, preferably at a location where proper handling equipment is available. ln Figure 4 a missile is shown supported on frame assembly l1 just prior to being transferred to supports 9 and lf3, the missile and frame assembly having been transported from a loading or storage area to the launching site by means of a trailer 38. At this time the longitudinal axis of symmetry of the missile is horizontal and the frame assembly is supported on the bed of the trailer by three triangularly positioned jacks 39, two of these jacks being positioned adjacent shaft 14 and the third adjacent fitting f5'. During missile transportation the relative position of the missile arm sup- A plurality of tubular members 28 are i port assembly, with respect to frame 1l, is maintained by tie-down members 4t) and 41.

To transfer the missile and assembly 11 to prepositioned supports 9 and 1) the trailer is positioned between the two forward supports, the missile and assembly 11 is then raised by means of jacks 39 sufficiently to allow the trailer to be rolled forward to the position shown in Figure 4. The frame assembly is then lowered until trunnions 17 seat themselves in bearings i2. A prop assembly 43, positioned between the aft end of the frame assembly and the supporting base, maintains the missile and frame assembly in a horizontal position and assumes a portion of the missiles weight upon removal of the jacks 39. The trailer may now be removed, bearing caps i8 secured in position, and tie-down members 4f) removed. Thus it is seen a missile may be quickly and efficiently transferred to its supporting members at the launching site with a minimum of personnel and auxiliary equipment. With the trailer removed a hydraulic jack 44 is positioned between frame assembly 11 and base '7, one end of the jack is pivotally attached to the frame assembly at a point intermediate supports 9 and 10 while its other end rests on a thrust pad 45 in the supporting base 7. This jack 44 is so located that it will maintain the missile in a horizontal position and also support a portion of its weight if prop assembly 43 is removed, upon removal of the prop assembly, jack 44 may be utilized to lower the triangular frame assembly and missile into its launching attitude, as shown in Figure 3. The triangular frame assembly is secured in its launching position by means of pin 20, in this position the longitudinal axis of symmetry of the missile is inclined at approximately 15 degrees with the horizontal.

The missile is fueled and the rockets 6 attached at the aforementioned assembly station which in most instances is remotely removed from the launching site. The entire assembly Vis then weighed to determine its center of gravity, preliminary rocket adjustments are also made at this time to insure the resultant thrust exerted by the rockets and missile power plant passing as nearly as possible through the center of gravity of the combined assembly. The center of gravity of the combined assembly must be rechecked at the launching site as it may shift during its storage period and subsequent transportation due to various reasons.

Weighing the combined missile assembly at the launching site is accomplished by means of electric weighing cells 46 and hydraulic jacks 47. One of the jacks is attached to each forward missile support arm 29 and aft fitting 15, respectively, the jacks being adjustably mounted so that their axes may be vertically positioned regardless of the angle of the missile being weighed. A weighing cell is positioned on the free end of the plunger of each jack 47 so that they contact the fittings 24 and 31, accordingly the cells support the missiles weight when the jacks are extended. The weight of the missile thus determined its longitudinal center of gravity may be calculated. The vertical location of the center of gravity can not be determined at the launching site, therefore, its location as previously determined is used in making final rocket adjustments. If the combined thrusts do not pass through the center of gravity of the combined missile assembly a dive or climb may result which may prove disastrous for reasons outlined above. Assuming all adjustments are correctly executed the theoretical trajectory of the missile during its initial ight or boost period should be a straight line determined by the inclination of the launcher. However, other factors which will affect the missiles initial flight or boost course are the application of unequal rocket thrusts and faulty separation from its launching gear if either or both are present.

Malfunctioning of the launching gear, due to unequal rocket forces or faulty separation, are practically eliminated in the launching equipment disclosed in the present application. Should the rockets ignite unevenly or one 5 slightly before the other, thereby exerting unequal thrust, these thrusts will be transmitted through the rigid missile arm support assembly and be applied equally at each side vof the missile. The missile armr support assembly 16 6 spaced apart a distance exceeding the greatest distance between the opposing side edges of said frame 1n a` d1- rection normal to a longitudinal reference line, and ex tending above said upper plane surface to provide an Yunand missile support 21 are both mounted to pivot with 5 `V'obstructed passageway therebetween, whereby a vehicle respect to frame assembly 11 as the missile moves forward so that a clear separation is provided, the missile arm support assembly pivoting forward suiciently to provide clearance for the missile rear structure. Thus it is seenY missile launching gear is provided which insures equal distribution of thrustforces, clean separation, and a storage and transportation fixture. ported on the framer assembly 11 is readily accessible for repair or replacement of any of its component parts, in-

stallation and adjustment of rockets, and etc.

While in order to comply with the statute, the invention has been described in language more or less specific as to structural features, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the specific features shown, but that the means and construction herein disclosed comprise a preferred form of putting the invention into eifect, and the invention is therefore claimed in any of its forms y ormodifcations within the legitimate and valid scope of 'and having opposite side edges spaced with respect to each other; iirst and second means pivotally mounted on said frame in spaced relation adapted to receive and support a missile to be launched from said device; a pair of axially aligned trunnions extending outwardly from the side edges of said frame; forward supporting means for said frame consisting of a pair of individual supportsV mounted on said base; upwardly facing bearings for receiving said trunnions mounted at the top of said supports, said bearings provided with bearing caps to maintain the trunnions in their respective bearings; said supports being Also a missile sup-V carrying the frame with a missile supported thereon can be advanced within said passageway, andV the frame lowered to position its trunnions on said bearings.

2. Apparatus as set forth in claim l, wherein ksaid axially aligned trunnions and the saidk rst pivotally mounted means are located adjacent one endY of said frame, and said second Ymeans is located adjacent the other end of said frame; said rst means including lower spaced aligned portions pivotally attached to said frame at respective equal distanceson opposite sides of said reference line, and a pair of upper axially aligned ttings adapted to support a portion of said aircraft and which are located at respective equal distances on opposite sides of said reference line; said second means being pivotally mounted on said frame and comprising an upper bearing adapted to support the remaining portion of said aircraft and which is also located symmetrically with respect to said reference line.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,045,075 Pompiu Nov. 19, 1 912 2,604,014 Walker et al. July 22, 1952 2,729,406 Busch Ian. 3, 1956 2,735,391 Buschers Feb. 21, 1956 FOREIGN PATENTS 864,212 `France Jan. 13, 1941 1,009,822 France Mar. 12, 1952 688,378 Great Britain Mar. 4, 1953 OTHER REFERENCES Page 46 0f March 1951 issue of Galaxy Science Fiction. 

